CONFLICT, COOPERATION, COMPETITION, AND CUPID

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on four concepts: (1) cooperation, (2) conflict, (3) exploitation, and (4) competition. The degree to which one individual ( I 2 ) cooperates or conflicts with another individual ( I 1 ) does not have to equal the degree to which I 1 cooperates or conflicts with I 2 . Thus, two individuals may affect each other differently. This difference is the essence of exploitation. The one who benefits the most can be said to be a benevolent exploiter. This is the type of exploitation that most colonial powers have claimed for themselves if they have admitted to exploiting their colonies at all. This type of exploitation has also been used to characterize most employer-employee relations. The one who suffers least is the malevolent exploiter; for example, one who is willing to suffer if he can make another suffer more. This is usually the case where revenge is involved. Most wars have been examples of malevolent exploitation.